Mr Buchanan, M.H.R., at Carterton.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2057, 20 April 1887, Page 2

Mr Buchanan, M.H.R., at Carterton.

Mr Buchanan, according to notice previously given, addressed his constituents at (Jarterton last night in the Public Hall. There was a large attendance and Mr R. Fairbrotber, J.P., was voted to the chair.

Mr Buchanan, in opening bis address, said he was rather late in coming forward to address his constituents upon this occasion, but as the political atmosphere had been at dead calm, perhaps he had the advantage, by being late in the field, of quoting the utterances and figures of same of the members of the Government who had preceded him in their remarks to the electors. He would first touch upon the matter of CHARITABLE AID.

This was a matter at present that was of as much importance to the colonists of New Zealand in the way of local government as any other at present requiring the attention of the legislature of the colony. It was welUknown to all of them that an Act had been passed by the present Government with a view to practically deal with this grave matter, and it was intended to levy contributions on all Local Bodies for the purpose of effectually meeting the difficulty of relieving the destitute. Upon a clause constituting the Wailarapa a separate district the Government were beaten principally upon his (Mr Buchanan’s) exertions and those of big coadjutors by two votes. It was alterwarda found that there was a flaw in tbe amendments passed and upon a second division the Go. vermnent, by dint of some amount of scheming, obtained a victory by a baie majority of two, and the dearly fought victory m favor of the country districts was converted into a defeat. As the law now stands the country districts are liable to be rated to support the destitute and indigent of tbe large towns, and this district of the Wairarapa is called upon to contribute far more than its fair share towa-ds the charitable aid of Wei liugton. The poi ■■tlntion of the crty of Wellington, he said, has always been paupers upon the Government both as to hospital and charitable aid. The Wairarapa has always contributed liberally towaids ita own charitable aid and hospitals aud with the half supplied .Tom the Government chest, the suttleis nave always found an amount equivalent fur all the purposes of iclievmg local distress and sickness. It was now perfectly clear that before 1 mg a great amount of dissatisfaction will ■ xisi in lefere-.iLe to the working of the Act Gaii.napa (from the first, has shown itself web eniiilcd to administer to its own charii iole alf.ths and will prove itself equal to the . mergem.y in the future. Till; niiVKBSSIEHT INSURANCE.

Iho s, 6;iM.T said that this district was imerested in the question uf tho Govt, life i'iiU-uH.H' scheme. They all w that iu 1 .lid .'in Act was passed vesting the m insge> meet in au association, with a chairman in 1 ; ard ol directors, partly to be appointed oy ton policy holders and partly by the Governin ii'. When this change was effected Sir ■lndus Vogel, as is his w >nt, soon began to . viMii lon hj in expensive sites lor buildings, sung nearly £85,000, purchased from G - vein meat supporters. Wellington was to hive a building coating £35,000, and then it v.iuld hive been high treason to have a Dnuedin and Auckland out ol the ■' i ui, mi about L 225,000 ol the association's weic thus to be thrown away in these c tpensive sites and buildings. Me Driver iien was appointed a resident agent at hinedin at a saliry, together with comtission, amounting to LltioO per annum ; ■a Uhristchuioh and Auckland directors

tting salaries < 1 only L 450 per year spectively. The country and the policy olders then took tho alarm and a parliac.utary committee was appointed to enquire i .i to these extravagances; but the Government

generally contrive to have a majority ol their supporters on such committees quite sufficient to tone down reports to their own satisfaction; and that such reports were toned down was quite understood by the House. It was only lair to Directors to state that they were not unanimous in their support oi this reckless expenditure, the initiation of which was almittedly due to Sit Julius Vogel; but when the piopw time comes no doubt the colony and this constituency will probably not forget his action in this matter. LOANS TO FCUUC BODIES ACT. The Government Goans to Local Bodies Act passed last session, providing for lending £200,000 to various local bodies at S per cent., is a very useful measure, and although the late Beads and Bridges Act was much ridiculed at the time of its being in force, still the Government in the third session were practically compelled t« bring in this Bill, on very much the same lines as the former. lam sure yon will all agree with me that the Act is likely to he a great benefit in the way of opening up necessary roads and furthering the progress of many parts of the colony. One or two amendments are quite necessary, it thonld nos lor instance be compulsory to levy special rates if the Local Bodies are prepared to pay them out of the ordinary rate. TBS ClVta SERVICE REFORM ACT. Under this new Act a candidate for civil service employment must pass a competitive examination. By this means fair play will be given to all candidates irrespective of family, birth, or interest. II was proposed to allow each member of the House the privilege to nominate a candidate, bat this was an effort to introduce patronage both absurd and ridiculous, and wsa almost unanimously rejected by the House. Another ridiculous proposal was also struck out which was to make the salaries of civil servants finotuate according to the rise and fall ol the provision markets and every three years Commissioners were to be appointed to take the price of tea and sugar (fee,, and thereupon recommending the decrease or increase of salaries contingent upon the rise and fall of the charges in the grocer’s or batcher’s bills. The Act as now on the Statute Book is a useful one and should meet ths purpose for which it was framed.

■AST AND WEST COAST RAILWAY. I am bound to speak to you upon that item of importance to every colonist of New Zealand. This Act gives to a private com-, pany two and a half millions ol laud as subsidy for the construction of the Bast and West Coast railway. On the first half million they allowed 6 per cent interest on construction, the remainder 4 per cent and to have all these allowances in the event of the Government purchasing the railways from the company, Now, as our Government railways have only paid last year 38a tid per cent we as members of the House, failed to see bow this would work, but the power at the back of the Government were able to see it, and so it was settled.

THE MUNICIPAL COBPOBATIONS ACT. This is a measure that iuteresta Carterton more particularly at present, as they will soon hare a Mayor and Borough Council. This Act was passed with 422 clauses, and is very much more comprehensive than the law stood before. I'he Counties Act does not call for particular comment. THE NATIVE LANDS ADUINI6TBAIION ACT. Under the old Act the natives could deal with their laud with few restrictions, and in cases of sales it was provided that those sales should pass under review of Frauds Commie* sionet, but uuder this new Act it is illegal for Europeans to buy or lease from natives, and it will remain to be seen if this Act will work well. 1 know that strong objections have been made by Wairarapa natives to the provisions of this Act. The progress of the North Island will be much retarded by it and at a recent meeting at the Bay of Islands and other places in the colony the strongest protest was made against it and the strongest demauds s were made for its repeal. I am certain that the natives wiil come under such a law with great reluctance, 1 admit that some changes were necessary but it would have been better for the Government to tike over the preemptive right altogether Other acta passed last session call lor no remark by me on the present occasion so 1 will not delay your time by dwelling on them. ACTS NOT PASSED.

Among the Acts introduced is the Representation Act. The present House is elected under tne Act ol 1881. It was the Ural attempt to get representation on the the strict basis of population. This Act provided lor 65 members for the South Island and 36 for the North Island, aud the southern members agreed that if tbs tide of population set iu toward this part of the colony they would be willing to concede to us what they were determined to claim for themselves. The Government made the excuse last session that details of the census returns were not to band, bat as tne census taking has now lor some time been completed that objection lias been removed. One of the provisions of the Act was to the effect that outside Parliament Commissioners should be appointed to adjust the represen. tation; to work automatically after each census was taken. I agreed with most of the provisions of the Bill aud strongly supported the bill going into committee, with the addi. tion that country districts should get a larger proportionate share of representation than cities ot large towns, for this reason, the cities have so many local powers, such as Chambers of Commerce, iSo., that have an immense influence upon parliament and if 6300 be the quota lor representation 1 consider that i a substantial allowauoe should be made for scattered country districts. If for instance London with its dense population were allowed representation iu proportion, that city would dictate the while policy ol Great Britain. As a country uisluul you wi.l a b roe with me that some concessions should he made in this Uin-cuou ; the Government appeared to look lavoiably upon these suggestions, but 1 was not surprised to see the Government whips working energetically to get the Bill thrown out, they did not want the provisions ol the Bill earned out, and 3 members of the Government walked into the lobby and opposed it. Alter such an eitrauruinary spectacle as that, can we believe in the Government’s pmmises ? You may rely that no effort of miue shall be wanting to the Act passed next session and get justice done to the North Island.

The remaining portion of the address will appear in out next. The case Lswrie v Duwmao hr assault was beard at the Ureytown U.M. Court this morning. The difeudaut was fined TL or a mouth's imprisonment; costs, £'J 10s.

The will of the late notorious usurer Aarotr Waxman, whose tragic death shocked the Jewish world of Melbourne a few weeks ago, has been proved iu Ike Equity Court, Melbourne. Che estate was sworn at £101,30.i. Uis stated that the property left will realise a quarter of a million. Waxurau commenced his career in a fellmongeriug establishment at a salary of 30s per week. He then graduated as a pawnbroker, and finally developed into a financier. Ho ij alleged to have bled some to snob an extent that even his co-religionists held up their hands in astonishment, and acknowledged that 800 per cent was rather too much of a good thing, and they , ousted Aaron from his position of treasurer of the Melbourne Hebrew congregation His wil commenced, “ I, Aaron Waxman, gentleman.” The Catlins Kiver Hail way is to be commenced to give employment to the unemployed in Otago.